Literature Circles

Steps for selecting a book Listen to all book descriptions Participate in a “book pass” where you take an moment to read the first few pages of each of the books that interest you Indicate your top three picks in order from 1-3 on the index card along with your name

1984 by George orwell A dystopian novel published in 1949 by British author, George Orwell. You have heard about this text if you’ve ever heard (or used) the term “doublespeak”, watched the tv show Big Brother or heard of “thought crime” or the “thought police”. It has consistently been ranked one of the 100 most influential books to read by a number of groups and became a runaway bestseller on Amazon just last year after KellyAnne Conway used the term “alternative facts”. If you’re interested in politics and power and control and worry about the government’s ability to restrict our freedoms, thoughts and language than this might be the book for you!

The book of negroes by Lawrence hill This award-winning Canadian novel tells the story of Aminata Diallo, a slave who was kidnapped from her African village at the age of 11 and sold into slavery in the United States during the height of the slave trade. The title is based on a real document, “The Book of Negroes” which was a record of slaves who had made their way from Manhattan to Halifax. If you are interested in historical fiction, deeply moving personal stories and issues of racism and social justice, this might be the book for you!

One flew over the kuckoo’s nest by ken kesey This novel, written in 1960, explores the oppressive conditions of a mental hospital set at that time. Told through the perspective of one of the patients, the story recounts the arrival of Randle Patrick McMurphy, another patient who threatens to overthrow the order of the hospital by rallying the other patients around him. If you’re interested in issues of mental health and what that means or questioning the authority of systems, this book might just be the book for you!

ALIas grace by margaret atwood Written by Canada’s most famous and prolific author, Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace tells the the story about the notorious 1843 murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in Upper Canada. Two servants of the Kinnear household, Grace Marks and James McDermott, were convicted of the crime. McDermott was hanged and Marks was sentenced to life imprisonment. This work of historical fiction examines the story through the eyes of a fictionalized doctor. If you’re interested in early Canadian history, the unfair division between upper and lower classes and a darn good mystery, this might be the book for you!

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Think Frankenstein is the name of the monster? Think again. Frankenstein is the name of the doctor who creates him and this ancient horror story, considered the first science fiction text explores the potential consequences when humans try to play the role of God. Written in 1816, Mary Shelley’s book is a classic of Victorian literature. If you like a book that poses difficult questions, revels in descriptive language and makes you think, this might be the book for you!

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Khaled Hossein’s 2003 novel is set against the backdrop of a changing Afghanistan. It explore Afghanistan through the eyes of a young boy, Amir and his friend, Hassan. The story is set against the fall of the Afghan monarchy through to the rise of the Taliban regime. While this book considers the historical backdrop and politics of the time, as well as divisions of class, it ultimately is the story of a father and son and their relationship. At times violent and difficult, this story is a powerful tale of guilt and redemption. If you are interested in world cultures, issues of class, world politics and the often muddy relationships of family, this might just be the book for you!

Hamlet by William Shakespeare To read or not to read, that is the question! Considered by many to be Shakespeare’s greatest play, Hamlet tells the story of the Danish prince Hamlet who is suffering following the unexpected death of his father. The play follows him as he struggles to come to terms with this and explores heavy existential questions around life and death, madness, suicide, revenge and betrayal. This play has everything – murder, romance, ghosts, revenge, comedy (a wee bit anyway) and as always, Shakespeare’s incredible ability to use the English language to make timeless observations about the human condition. If you like these themes and the challenges that come from reading Shakespearean language, this might be the play for you!

Steps for selecting a book Listen to all book descriptions Participate in a “book pass” where you take an moment to read the first few pages of each of the books that interest you Indicate your top three picks in order from 1-3 on the index card along with your name